Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
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Lactate concentration is known to be a strong predictor of mortality, but is not included in any of the major intensive care scorings systems such as the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS 3). The objective of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of lactate concentration when combined with SAPS 3. ⋯ Even compared to our current prognostication model, SAPS 3, lactate concentration was found to be an independent predictor for all diagnoses, cardiac arrest and sepsis. The addition of lactate concentration level improved the AUC for cardiac arrest and sepsis, but not for all diagnoses.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Feb 2018
Observational StudyHigh volatile anaesthetic conservation with a digital in-line vaporizer and a reflector.
A volatile anaesthetic (VA) reflector can reduce VA consumption (VAC) at the cost of fine control of its delivery and CO2 accumulation. A digital in-line vaporizer and a second CO2 absorber circumvent both of these limitations. We hypothesized that the combination of a VA reflector with an in-line vaporizer would yield substantial VA conservation, independent of fresh gas flow (FGF) in a circle circuit, and provide fine control of inspired VA concentrations. ⋯ A secondary circuit with reflector and in-line vaporizer provides highly efficient anaesthetic delivery, independent of FGF. A second CO2 absorber was necessary to scavenge the CO2 reflected by the anaesthetic reflector. This secondary circuit may turn any open circuit ventilator into an anaesthetic delivery unit.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Feb 2018
Spinal or general anaesthesia for lower-limb amputation in peripheral artery disease - a retrospective cohort study.
The present study aimed to determine which method of anaesthesia (spinal anaesthesia or general anaesthesia) is better in reducing post-operative analgesic requirements in patients undergoing major limb amputation for lower-limb ischaemia. Another aim was to find out if anaesthesiologists use neuraxial anaesthesia in high-risk patients despite abnormal coagulation profile or use of anticoagulation. ⋯ Patients with spinal anaesthesia had a lower rate of surgical complications, re-operations and intensive care unit admissions. Patients with above-the-knee amputation and spinal anaesthesia had a lesser need for opioid medication in the post-operative period than patients with general anaesthesia. Anaesthesiologists performed neuraxial anaesthesia and/or analgesia in high-risk patients despite abnormal coagulation profile or ongoing anticoagulation, but no adverse outcomes were reported.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Feb 2018
Evaluation of a method for isocapnic hyperventilation: a clinical pilot trial.
Isocapnic hyperventilation (IHV) is a method that shortens time to extubation after inhalation anaesthesia using hyperventilation (HV) without lowering airway CO2 . In a clinical trial on patients undergoing long-duration sevoflurane anaesthesia for major ear-nose-throat (ENT) surgery, we evaluated the utility of a technique for CO2 delivery (DCO2 ) to the inspiratory limb of a closed breathing circuit, during HV, to achieve isocapnia. ⋯ In this cohort of patients, a DCO2 nomogram for IHV was validated. The patients were safely extubated shortly after discontinuing long-term sevoflurane anaesthesia. Perioperatively, there were no adverse effects on arterial blood gases or post-operative cognition. This technique for IHV can potentially be used to decrease emergence time from inhalation anaesthesia.